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Vitoria-Gasteiz is in the heart of the Basque Country in Spain, 66 km south of Bilbao, 114 km from San Sebastian and 351 km from Madrid. It is the provincial capital of Alava.

Vitoria-Gasteiz, Plaza Nueva

Understand

Vitoria-Gasteiz has been the political capital of the Basques since the 20th May 1980.
Spanish is the main language, but knowledge of Basque is common. English is not widely spoken. The Basque language is called Euskera and nobody knows exactly the origin of this language.

Visitor information: Tourist office at Plaza General Loma 1 is open daily from 9AM till 7PM, closed at midday.

Get in

You can visit Vitoria-Gasteiz coming from Bilbao Airport (Loiu) on a toll road or using public transport (Autobuses La Unión). Vitoria-Gasteiz has a small Airport (Aeropuerto de Foronda) 8 km north of the town with a few flight destinations.

Currently the air fares are very low. There is a shuttle bus between the airport and the bus station in the centre of town, which seems timed to coincide with the major arrivals and departures, and cost €3 each way.

There is a left-luggage facility at the Coach Station (to the east of the city centre). Cost is roughly €1 per bag per day, and you can leave luggage for several days.

Get around

Situated in the south of the Basque Country, Vitoria-Gasteiz is a city without sea. To the North, at only 66 km is the city of Bilbao, and at 114 km the beautiful city of San Sebastian. The South part of Alava province, is called La Rioja Alavesa, where the visitor can test ones of the best red wines of the world. There are a lot of touristic tours, and you can find more information about in the following web: [1]. The province situated in the South of Alava is La Rioja, where the cultivation of wine is one of the most important attractions.

Vitoria-Gasteiz itself is a very small city. Virtually everything you will want to see is reachable on foot. If you do not fancy walking there are several other proposals to move around:

By taxi

See

Vitoria-Gasteiz, Old Center Town

The city has an ancient town center where most of the streets still have the medieval name of the jobs that was used to be in each one of the streets (Herrería, Zapatería...) In the Town Center you can find the Cathedral of Santa María, that is one of the most important attractions of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Guided visits can be made, and it´s recommended to make the reservation via Cathedral Santa María web page.

Basque Museum of Contemporary Art, in Calle Francia, number 24. The last Collections of Basque Art. The museum is located close to the old center town.

Do

Vitoria-Gasteiz, Fiestas de la Blanca

The Festivals:

Night of 27th April and day of 28th April. San Prudencio Saint. On the eve bands of trumpeters, clarinet players and drummers meet in the Plaza de la Provincia and play in an open-air concert. Afterwards parade of drummers and txistu players around the city center. 28th. Visit to Armentia's Saint Prudencio church. Eat of scrambled perretxikos (mushrooms found locally) and snails. Extremely popular.

Move around to see the atmosphere!
City Center
Early at night: Plaza Virgen Blanca, Calle Dato, Calle Postas
Later at night (11 and later):
Medieval Area
Main streets: Zapatería, Cuesta de San Francisco, Cuchillería, Pintorería, Nueva Dentro, Nueva Fuera
Ensanche Area
Main streets: Calle Dato, Calle Postas, Calle San Prudencio.

Spectator sports:

Football: Deportivo Alavés ([11]), have spent most of their history in Spain's second level, though they had two brief spells in La Liga (the top flight) in the early 2000s. However, they now play in the third-level Segunda División B. Their home ground is Estadio Mendizorrotza.

Basketball: The city's best-known team is Saski Baskonia ([12]), also known by the sponsored name of Caja Laboral Baskonia. They are perennial contenders in both the domestic ACB and continent-wide Euroleague. Baskonia's home of Fernando Buesa Arena, which currently seats around 10,000, often sells out for bigger matches; plans are now in the works to expand it to 15,000.

Buy

Two new shopping malls were opened in the north of Vitoria on the road going to Bilbao comprising grocery, DIY, cinemas, bars and everything else you need.

Or go to the traditional small shops in the town center such as Calle Dato. This is the place where you find Vitoria-Gasteiz's best shops and bars as well.

Leather and shoes is always an option in Spain and especially in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Ayestaran located in Calle Dato is a place where you can find nice stuff. Sadly, it is expensive.

Corte Ingles is Spain's flagship retailer and the store is in the center of the town: you can probably find everything you want, but it is pricey by Spanish standards.

Eat

Traditionally you can have a few small drinks in the bars around the town center and enjoy this with some tapas. Usually every bar has one speciality and it is interesting to taste them and then you go to another bar. The boiling point for bar visits is at 2PM just before lunch time. The Basque cuisine is one of the best in Spain and Vitoria has restaurants in all categories.

Bar Saburdi located on Calle Dato is one of the most famous bar in Vitoria-Gasteiz. You can find a great variety of small snacks and everything is of the highest quality. The pancito con jamon is excellent.

Bar Usokari located on Calle Dato, 25. Close to Saburdi and from the same owners, but with very different stuff. Lots of different pintxos along its long bar.

Bar Sagartoki located on Calle Prado, 18 has been awarded with the best Spanish pintxos bar in 2006. Freshly made creative pintxos. Do not miss the plane Spanish Omelet pincho. Around 2.50 EUR/unit. www.sagartoki.es

Bar Toloño located on Cuesta San Francisco. Recently renovated renowed of having delicious and unusual pintxos.

Drink

Like in other cities of the Basque Country nigthlife is centered around the old medieval zone of the city or 'Casco Viejo' where there a bar every few meters. Same style bars usually (but now always) tend to be around the same area. Depending of what kind of nigth you are searching for you should head to one street or another:

Cuchilleria (La Cuchi): You could say is the 'basquest' street. Many of the bars play basque-rock and are decorated with typical basque parafernalia. Posters supporting independence for the Basque Country (and sometimes even ETA) can be seen at many places. People from all ages (from 15 to 40 something) can be seen around here.

Zapateria (La Zapa): Probably the most diversified street. Almost all the bars play commertial hits but the best punk and classic-rock bars can also be found here. As in Cuchi costumers of all ages can be found.

Pintoria (La Pinto): Mainly commertial and electronic-music bars for teenagers. A couple of heavy-metal and hard-rock bars can also be found.

Cuesta: The street where Cuchi and Pinto start. Various bars of all kinds are located here but costumers are usually a little older than in other streets, people on their late 20s or 30s.

Dato: The main street of Vitoria. More expensive and with more stylish bars. Altough people of all ages may end the nigth here (bars close usually later) it is a zone where people in their 30s, 40s or even 50s go out.

Sleep

Hotel Dato, Calle Dato 28, is a bargain in the centre of town. Rooms are basic, befitting the 2 star rating, but clean and well-equipped, and the public areas are astonishing in their quirky display of art nouveau objects and decor.

Hotel Almoneda, Calle Florida 7, a medium size hotel right in the center of the city with warm and friendly staff. [14]

Ondoloin apartments, Rioja street, nº15, ☎+34657738379, [15]. checkin: 13:30; checkout: 11:00. Accommodation in apartments (loft) of 45 square metres located in the centre of Vitoria Gasteiz, (Rioja street). 2nd floor in a very quiet house of apartments. 2 apartments, total capacity: 7 people. Apartments fully furnished and suitable for 2, 3 or 4 people. Located in the main area for tapas, bars and restaurants in Vitoria. Within 5 minutes walking distance from the Virgen Blanca square, the medieval town, La Florida Park and the Artium museum. 10 minutes walking distance from the historic cathedral of Santa María.Close to the Universities.75. (42 50 35.611,2 40 5.5098)